The ScuttleButt
by ShebaVentis
Summary: Collection of oneshots set in the CRS universe. Features Korlys, Mario, and Attrei, and will likely feature other characters as they appear in the main story. Some oneshots may even be AU, and if so, will be noted as such. Individual stories will range from K - M ratings, and cover a variety of genres.
1. Family

_Korlys', Mario's, and Attrei's last night camping before arriving at Gwaren. Chronologically, this fits in the middle of chapter 20 of book one - Freedom's Shadow._

* * *

 **Family**

Korlys watched the sparks from the campfire as they floated into the night sky like fireflies. Tomorrow, they would be in Gwaren. It felt like a lifetime had passed since he had murdered Angelo and given the Crows the slip, fleeing from Denerim with Mario. And now he was so close to freedom he could taste it. He never imagined that he would be leaving Ferelden with two friends... family, really, like Attrei had said. Korlys looked over at Mario, surprised to find the thief had been watching him intently. He smiled. "Why are you staring at me like that?" His voice was soft as he reached out and brushed his fingertips against the back of Mario's neck affectionately.

"You're so lost in thought… What are you thinking about?" Mario asked, forcing himself to smile back. He suspected he knew. Tomorrow, they would be in Gwaren; originally, that was where they were supposed to split up. That was ages ago, before they got together, and they had changed their plans after that, of course. But… Korlys never really said he loved him; in fact, he said love wasn't possible, that it was a lie people told when they wanted to hurt someone. What if he thought Mario was toying with him - what if he decided to leave alone, after all? _Well, too bad even if he did. I'm not gonna let that happen._

"I was thinking about family. This is the first time I have ever had one - a real one, anyway. The Crows liked to say they were..." Korlys glanced at Attrei, whose ears had perked up. "But that was a lie." He turned back to Mario. "What was it like? I really cannot imagine it."

Mario relaxed. That was all? He was hardly an example of a happy family life, but compared to the Crows or the Templars, even his stepdad looked kind and caring. "My real dad died when I was a baby, I don't remember him at all. But Ma… she was the kindest person in the world. I guess we didn't have much money, but I never knew or cared back then. She laughed a lot; nothing seemed to upset her. She never hit me, even when I was bad. Every night, she'd tell me a story, usually about a brave elvhen hero, whose name was also Mario." He chuckled fondly at the memory. "But then she married my stepfather. I'll never understand why. Though, he wasn't always that bad. At first he seemed nice… but it didn't last long."

"Why? What happened?" Attrei asked.

"I'm not sure. I think he lost his job, maybe - I was too small, nobody would tell me. I only know what I found out later, rumours I heard from neighbours. He lost his job and couldn't find another for a long time, so he started drinking. And Ma got pregnant… and I was in the way. Not his son, just another mouth to feed." Mario shrugged.

Korlys gave the back of the thief's neck a light squeeze. "Your mother told you stories about a hero named Mario? How charming. Tell us one of these stories." He was fascinated with the idea of a mother - and a story would steer the conversation away from a sore spot for Mario.

"You want me to tell you a bedtime story? You sure you don't want one about a brave hero called Korlys?" he teased. "And his sidekick called Attrei," he added when he noticed a disappointed look on the mage's face. "Of course, they could hardly compare with Super Mario… Maker, how I loved those stories. Believed every word of them, too."

"We want to hear about Mario," the mage replied quickly. "Right, Korlys?"

" _Sí_ ," Korlys said with a grin. "Mario the hero sounds much more interesting."

Mario cleared his throat. "Once upon a time there was a country, and in that country, there was a big town on the shore of an ocean, and in that town, there was a cottage, and in the cottage lived a young elf named Mario and his mother. One day, Mario told his mother, 'I want to travel around the world and see all the wonders!' She saw it was useless to try to stop him; so she baked him his favourite buns, blessed him and kissed him on the brow."

"Favourite buns?" Attrei snickered.

"Of course. With plum jam filling," Mario snapped haughtily. "So he took his late father's sword, crossed the seven seas, climbed seven mountains, and had many perilous adventures until he reached a country that was lovelier than any he had seen before. Or it would've been if everyone wasn't sad and weeping. He went to the inn and asked what had happened to them, and the innkeeper said,

"'You must be a stranger if you don't know about the terrible tragedy that happened. A dragon flies down from the mountains every week, and brings ruin and death unless he is given a maiden. But now it is our princess' turn. You have never laid your eyes on a maiden more fair and kind, but alas she will be sacrificed this Sunday. The dragon promised to never return if he gets her, but that he would ruin us all if it is any other girl. The king announced that whoever slays the beast will be given the princess' hand in marriage and half the kingdom.'

"'Oh, if that's all,' our brave traveller said, 'I can do that.' But nobody believed him because he had no horse and no armour."

"See how important armour is?" Korlys interrupted with a snicker.

"See that he survived all those perilous adventures without one?" Mario retorted. "But, yeah, for this adventure he decided he might need some. So he went to a smith and spent the money he had earned in his previous adventures on a set of splendid silver armour and a white horse. Then he asked people where the dragon would appear, and went to prepare himself.

"The next morning, he went to the place where the dragon was to come; it was near a huge rock, and the princess was already there, tied to it. But, she wasn't the only one waiting for a dragon. Rumour had spread across the whole country, and there were many warriors ready to try their luck. Many young nobles boasted about how they would only need one hit to kill the beast. Mario said nothing, he just sat quietly and waited for the dragon.

"Suddenly, a strong wind picked up, uprooting the trees; that was the dragon coming. A huge beast it was, with three heads, spouting fire-"

"Wow, a three-headed dragon!" Korlys' voice held all the wonder of a child, so caught up was he in the story.

Attrei looked doubtful. "I've never heard of a dragon with three heads."

"There are many things you've never heard of, Baby," Mario assured him. "But maybe the other warriors never heard of it either, because they got scared. 'No one can fight such a monster!' they cried, and threw away their weapons and shields and ran away in panic. Can you guess who was the only one who didn't throw away his sword and run like a chicken?"

"Mario, because he is too cheap to throw anything away," Korlys teased.

"Well, that's true. Others could learn from his example, you know, instead of spending two sovereigns for soap. Plus he spent his last coins on that armour, and he didn't want it to be a waste."

"Hmph," Korlys said, but the grin on his face belied his offended tone.

"So what did he do?" Attrei asked impatiently.

"You'll find out if you stop interrupting me… Well, what could he do? He fought with it, of course. And it was a long and difficult fight; it took a whole day, but in the end, he slayed the beast and cut off all three heads. He then cut out their tongues and put them in his bag, and untied the princess. But he was too exhausted, and couldn't ride all the way back to the castle. They had to camp and rest.

"But one of the cowardly nobles had watched the fight, and followed them on their way back; when Mario fell asleep, he sneaked into camp and hit him over the head with a rock; then he forced the princess to tell everyone it was him who saved her. Afraid for her life, and thinking Mario was dead, she agreed."

"He wasn't really dead, right?"

Mario smirked at Attrei's anxious look. "There wouldn't be tales about him, and he wouldn't be called Super Mario if he was such a loser as to die after one hit by a rock. Though he did have a painful bump on his head when he woke up - and his princess was gone! He was quite mad because he thought it was her who slammed him. He wasted no time and travelled right to the king to complain. But nobody would listen. They didn't even let him see the king - despite the shiny armour," he added, glancing at Korlys, "because there was a hero in the palace already! He had returned with the princess, they said and brought the three heads of the dragon to prove it. The marriage had already been announced and would be held next Sunday.

"So on Sunday, Mario waited in the church until the bridal procession came, and he saw the treacherous bastard grinning proudly, and he saw the princess was so unhappy her wedding veil was wet with tears. Now he was sure she had not betrayed him. Then the Grand Cleric came, and said, 'Should anyone object to this marriage, let them step forward now, or remain silent forever!'

"And Mario jumped forward. ' _I_ object!' he shouted. 'This man is a fraud and a coward! If he slayed the dragon, then let him prove it!'

"The noble protested and said Mario was just a crazy knife-ear, that the heads were proof enough - and the guards believed him. They would have arrested him, but the princess recognized Mario and stopped them.

"'Can you give us proof you killed the dragon?' she asked him, because she knew about the tongues.

"'I can! Check the dragon's heads - they are missing the tongues. If this man slayed the dragon, surely he can say where they are?' The king sent his servant to check the dragon's heads, and it was true - and the noble couldn't explain it. Then Mario pulled out the tongues from his bag and showed it to the king.

"'This is the man who fought valiantly to save me, not the brute who threatened me to get me to lie!' the princess then said. The king was pissed off that the noble threatened his daughter, and had him arrested and beheaded; and since the wedding ceremony had already started, and it would be a waste to send everyone home and make them come back later, they continued with it - but with Mario for a groom, of course.

"So Mario got the lovely princess, and half the kingdom, and had his mother brought to his palace. She was very happy because it had been a long time since they had seen each other…" Mario's voice faltered for a moment before he continued, "and they lived happily ever after, and had a lot of babies and no dragons bothered them ever again."

Korlys clapped. "That was marvelous! _Grazie_ for sharing it with us."

"You know, you sounded very convincing as a woman," Attrei praised him. "I think in Gwaren you should be the lady, and let me be the man."

"Baby, nobody would believe you're a _man_. Trust me, it's best to keep it as it is. Am I not right?" he turned to Korlys.

"Hmm... I do not know. Perhaps we should have him dress as a man, and you can put on the dress. Then I can decide if it will work," Korlys said, a mischievous look in his eyes.

Mario pouted. "But if I'm a girl, you can't be my princess," he complained. Besides, there's one important thing about family you need to know, Baby. And that is - your older brother is _always_ right."

"Well, since I am the oldest, it means _I_ am always right, _sí_?"

"Yeah, but the two of us are not brothers. You don't think I'd kiss a _brother_ , do you? But, you are the oldest brother of Attrei here."

"That's not fair! You only say that so that you can boss me around," Attrei protested.

"That's exactly what brothers do." Mario snickered. "But, okay. I can try the dress on if it makes you happy - but not yours, I wouldn't fit in. I can try one of Korlys' dresses… and you can serve me as your princess." He batted his eyelashes at Korlys.

Korlys gave Mario a naughty grin. "I would be delighted. We should probably retire to the tent for this, yes? I will have to practice serving you until I have it right - all night, if necessary."

"Um, I think I'll go to sleep," Attrei muttered. This was quickly going in a direction he didn't care for. He got up and stretched his back, yawning. "Goodnight."

"Now you did it." Mario pouted at Korlys. "You chased away half of my audience!"

" _Mi dispiace_ , I did not realize you would want an audience for such an intimate activity. Perhaps next time?" Gratified to see Mario blushing, Korlys chuckled, then relented. He leaned over and kissed Mario's cheek softly. "I am just teasing," he murmured. "I think it is time to turn in for the night, yes? I will take Attrei's watch since it is my fault he left."

"Nonsense. I started it - I should've known you'd turn it into something pervy. And I'm not tired yet. Maybe I can stay with you and make sure you don't fall asleep on your watch?"

"That is true, you should know better by now. _Va bene_ , stay with me for awhile and keep me company."

"How gracious of you, my princess." Mario chuckled and wrapped his arms around Korlys. "But, only for awhile? Then I have no time to waste," he said as he pulled Korlys in for a kiss.

* * *

A/N: Big thanks to our ridiculously awesome betas, Oleander's One and Bloodsong 13T, for fitting this in between our regular chapters of CRS! :D


	2. Interview With an Assassin

_A/N - Even though this one-shot is set in an alternate universe, it contains major spoilers and should not be read unless the reader has finished chapter 23 of book one - Freedom's Shadow._

* * *

 **Interview with an Assassin**

We are sitting in an almost empty room with cinderblock walls and a concrete floor. One bare bulb hangs from the ceiling directly over the small wooden table that separates us. The assassin sitting across from me is slouched in his chair, arms crossed, a wary expression on his face.

"So, tell me - what is your biggest weakness?" I ask, pen poised over a plain tablet of paper - the sort any school-aged child would instantly recognize - and looking at him expectantly.

Korlys' eyes narrow. "Who wants to know?"

"Venti."

"... Is it not obvious by now?"

I sigh. "Please get with the program, Korlys."

"Very well. But only because I know the ending of the story is not yet written, and you could always make it worse..." The ex-Crow takes a deep breath, and, in a voice that makes it very clear he is repeating what we all already know, replies, "My biggest weakness is that I am weak. There. Are you happy now?"

Surely he knows such a short answer will not satisfy me, yes? "Please elaborate," I say, with a tiny shake of my head.

Korlys grinds his teeth and glares at me, a reaction that would thoroughly terrify most people. "Fine. I was broken in less than twenty-four hours - a disgrace for any Crow." His gaze drops to the floor, and his body sags visibly. "And... I continue to believe I may be something different... some _one_ different... if only I fight hard enough."

I gently place the pen down in front of me and study him, suddenly sad that I made him say it out loud. I want to apologize for... well, everything, but expressing regret would imply that I intend to no longer hurt him, and we both know that is not true. Fighting the urge to wrap my arms around him and hug him - he'd only push me away, and who could blame him? - I quietly slip out of my chair and leave him there, eyes still downcast, sitting all alone, as the door clicks shut behind me.

oOo

Mario waits until the annoying woman is gone and steps out of the shadow, from where he'd watched everything - no fucking way he'd leave his _caro_ alone with one of those two. He walks to Korlys, grabbing the chair the woman was sitting on a moment ago as he goes, and sits down next to him.

"You. Are not. Weak," he says as he gently lifts Korlys' face. "They tried to break you, but they failed. They failed, Korlys - _you_ won. You're not who they wanted you to be. You resisted. You fought. You are yourself. And where are they? Dead. Because you're strong. So strong, that when they tried to break you by force, you destroyed them. Do you know what Claudio said? He said it was a miracle, that after what you went through, you could fight. A miracle of your strength, _caro_. Never doubt that."

Korlys covers one of Mario's hands with his own. "No, not me - _us_. We are strong together." He lifts his gaze to the little sparrow sitting on the windowsill. " _All_ of us."

The sparrow flies into the room and changes back to Attrei. "How did you know it was me?" he asks with a sheepish grin.

"You mean besides the fact that sparrows do not generally sit on windowsills and watch interrogations?" Korlys' voice is gently teasing at first but turns serious. "I knew because I knew you would not leave me to be interrogated alone, if you had any say in it."

"Of course I wouldn't. We're family." He bends over and wraps his arms around both of them and pulls them into a hug. "Don't ever forget that."

"Yeah, okay." Mario pulls away. Not that he doesn't think they're family - they are - but hugs are a bit too much. He glances around for something to change the subject, and notices the paper Sheba left on the desk. "What's this, interrogation questions?" He grabs the tablet, glancing over the questions. "Interview With an Assassin," he reads incredulously. "Question one, biggest weakness… question two, do you find yourself attractive?!" He roars with laughter. "Well? _Do_ you find yourself attractive?"

Korlys snorts and grabs the pad. "Let me see that." His expression of disbelief grows more pronounced as he scans the list, then slowly lifts his head to gaze at his companions. "What sort of person asks an _assassin_ what his favourite colour is?"

"A fangirl," Attrei says with a giggle. "That's what we called them in the Tower," he explains when the other two look at him curiously. "You see, some boys were very popular, and had a lot of admirers. Sometimes so many that those girls formed clubs, of sorts. They were obsessed with collecting any information about the subjects of their admiration, because they believed that by careful application of this information, they could win the guy's attention. This is exactly the type of questions they'd love to ask. Does it also include the size of the shoes and underwear?"

"Fangirls?" Mario growls. "Nutcases, you mean. Well, they better find another subject for their admiration. Korlys is spoken for."

"Aww... Are you jealous, _caro_? That is so cute. Come here," Korlys says, tugging on Mario's hand to bring him in closer for a kiss.

After an interval that feels far too short for Korlys, and likely far too long for Attrei, they break the kiss. "So," Korlys says, getting back to business, "they want answers, yes? Well, let us not disappoint the lovely ladies." He vacates his chair so that Attrei can sit, putting the pen and paper in front of the little mage. "Attrei, you have the best penmanship - you do the writing." A look of pure glee comes over the Antivan's face, as if the thought of paying back the 'lovely ladies' is more satisfying than anything he could do to Velasco. "In fact, we should give them answers for all three of us."

"Admit it. You just want to talk about how handsome you are," Mario says. Korlys' enthusiasm is contagious, though, and he leans over the tablet with the questions. "Okay, let's start…. Oh, this one is good. 'Who are your parents and what are they like?' Korlys."

"She wants to know about my parents?" The assassin pauses a moment, then a crafty gleam comes into his eyes. "Let us say they were the king and queen of Antiva."

"Well, that fits. You do act like a prince." Mario nods in approval. "Write it down, Baby."

Attrei laughs. "All right. Isn't that a bit obvious, though? I mean, if you're royalty, how did you become a Crow?"

"Oh, that is easy. Everyone knows that even the kings and queens of Antiva are not safe from the Crows. We will simply explain that they gave me to them as a bribe not to kill them. Because I am so obviously awesome," Korlys says with a self-satisfied air.

"Yeah. That makes perfect sense," Mario says dryly. "Okay, mine now. They were… the king and queen of the underworld! Dad was… a lyrium smuggler and Ma was-"

"Dwarf smugglers!" Korlys interrupts, with a maniacal grin.

"What the fuck?! I'm one inch shorter than you, and that makes me a dwarf?"

"That is not what I meant... and you are _two_ inches shorter than me, by the way. Not one. Two."

"Whatever. I'm bigger where it counts," Mario declares indignantly, crossing his arms.

"Oh? I do not recall that being the case - maybe you should refresh my memory. We could measure against each other and find out for sure."

"Yeah! Let's do that!"

Attrei looks from one to the other and nods. "All right. I'll be the objective judge. To avoid any future arguments."

Korlys' and Mario's jaws drop simultaneously, mirror images of each other, and Attrei can't help giggling. "You should see your faces!"

"Well played, Baby," Mario says when his ability to speak returns, and laughs. "We might even succeed in making a man of you."

Korlys grins widely. "Good one, Attrei!" he exclaims, clapping the little mage on the back. "Now, back to the questions. I believe it is your turn, yes?"

"But my parents are mages," Attrei says, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "There are no kings and queens in the Tower."

"They don't have to be in the Tower. There are mages who live outside. Right?" Mario looks at Korlys, a silent signal for help.

" _Sí_. And in Tevinter, they rule... That is it! We will say your father is the Imperial Archon in the Imperium."

"But they're all blood mages there," Attrei protests.

"Well your parents aren't! And everyone else was pissed off at them because of that, so they had to send you to safety," Mario offers. "How's that?"

Attrei's face brightens at that. "I like it! And now we're all princes."

Korlys peers over Attrei's shoulder, scanning the questions. "'What is your e-mail address?'. What is 'e-mail'?"

"Don't look at me." Mario shrugs. "I'm just a street rat. If you don't know what it is, how would I know?"

"Well… it's e-mail… e… maybe as in enchanted? Enchanted mail, e-mail?" Attrei frowns. "But if enchanters use something like that, I've never heard about it before."

"We will skip that one - I do not think princes have much use for enchanted mail," Korlys says. "Oh, here is a perfect one - 'What are your most prominent physical features?'." He catches Mario's eye, grinning wickedly. "I believe _Mario_ can answer that for me."

"Oh, good idea! And I can answer for Mario, and you can answer for me," Attrei agrees eagerly.

Mario arches his brow at the Antivan. "Well, let me see… Crow-black hair, sexy eyes, and a _huge…_ ego."

"That's not a physical feature," Attrei reminds him.

"No, but it's true. Okay, your turn, Korlys."

"Hmm, Attrei's most prominent physical feature," Korlys says with a twinkle in his eye. "Well, obviously it is the flaming red hair... on his chest!"

"Oh, yes. His manly chest," Mario adds, smirking.

"Well, it's now my turn to describe you. Your main feature…" Attrei chews the end of the pen, thinking about it. "I know! The gentle smile that never leaves your lips."

"Yeah," Korlys jumps in. "Like a kitten, wouldn't you say?"

"Hmph." Mario picks up the paper again. "Okay, if you have all that, Baby, let's move on to the next question."

"What about this one - 'What is your happiest memory?'," Attrei suggests.

"Sounds good," Mario agrees. "Go ahead."

"Hm… It's hard to choose only one. But… that night, when Mario told us the story about Super Mario," Attrei admits.

"I was that impressive, was I?"

"Yes, but not just that…That was the night you said we were family."

"Ah yes, that was the time Mario insisted that he is always right... well _one_ of the many times, anyway," Korlys says with a wink at the thief, unable to resist teasing him, "because he is your big brother." He looks down at Attrei. " _Sí_ , that is the first time I also realized that we are a family."

Korlys gives Attrei's shoulder a squeeze, then turns to Mario. "So, what is your happiest memory, _caro_?"

"Can I say two?" Mario asks. "The first one… when you said you liked me, that evening at the lake and… well, you know what happened." He shoots an embarrassed glance toward Attrei before he continues. "The second one, when I found you on the ship," he says softly. "And you were alive and whole."

If the little mage had not been sitting between them, Korlys would have swept Mario into his arms for the kiss; as it is, he settles for leaning over Attrei, promising himself that later he will do it properly. "Those are my favorites, as well - our first kiss, and realizing that you were not just an illusion."

Attrei coughs. "Shall we move to the next question?" he suggests. "I wonder what _they_ will say when they read this."

"I don't know and I don't wanna find out," Mario mutters uneasily. "We better not be here when they return."

"Now that I think of it, why _are_ we hanging around this dreary room, anyway?" Korlys says. "We should leave before either of them return and make us go back to the ship. Let us go have some fun - maybe get Italian food? I am starving!"

"Antivan," Attrei corrects him. "Sounds like a good idea. I'm hungry, too."

"Then let's go!" Mario gets up and stretches his back. "Let them find someone else to write about. Though I doubt they can find anyone as awesome as us."

oOo

Venti and I wait until the boys are gone before entering the room. I walk over to the table, and pick up the pad of paper with a tiny shake of my head. "Tsk, can you believe they actually thought we would _fall_ for such ridiculous answers? How stupid do they think we are?"

"But it fits - three awesome princes. _Whatever_ shall we do, in our despair, now that they're gone?" she asks, amused.

I laugh. "I can hardly believe I'm getting a break from that elven diva," I say, a bit giddy at the realization. "Ooh, I know... I'm going to a spa! I want a massage - and maybe I'll get my nails done, too!" I turn to Venti with a grin. "How about you?"

"That sounds good. I'll spend a weekend on the beach…" she pauses. "We _do_ have a weekend, right? Maybe we can think of a few more things to keep them busy."

"Hmm, good point," I say, as we head for the door. "Let's see..."

* * *

A/N: Hugs and thanks to our awesome betas, Oleander's One and Bloodsong 13T, for beta reading this so quickly! We dropped it into their laps quite unexpectedly, and they were gracious enough to review it immediately. We love you guys! :)


	3. Chicken Soup

_A/N - An alternate ending for the fight scene in chapter 23 - sort of a cross between The Matrix and... well, we don't quite know, actually. It was partly inspired by the magic animation in DA2 - we won't lay the whole blame on them, though. We dedicate it to our friend, Nyusha, who is recuperating from a car accident. Feel better soon!_

 _We didn't send it to our betas because we have too much respect for them, so please excuse any errors. xD_

* * *

 **Chicken Soup**

Mario scrambled to his feet, gasping for breath. He'd been climbing up the mast to get above the smoke from the bomb so he could see if there were any Crows left when this crazy weirdo had jumped out from behind a barrel and started shooting from his staff. He'd slid down like a sack of potatoes, but he was still alive. Baby, though, was lying on the deck, arms and legs at weird angles. Furious, Mario looked around.

There! A man was standing on the poop deck, hopping and flapping his arms and shaking his ass, occasionally thumping his staff on the deck and making a pirouette. It seemed he was trying to cast a spell on Korlys, who was heading straight for the mage. The Antivan was dragging his left leg behind him, but from the look on his face, it was easy to see that he was determined to get to the man currently flapping his arms like a chicken and making clucking noises. Maybe fright at seeing a murderous Crow heading towards him, daggers in hand, had driven the man out of his mind.

"Oww, fuuuuuudge," a voice said behind him. "What was that?"

Mario turned to Baby, who was twisting himself into normal position and popping his bones back into his joints. "No idea. You're a mage, you tell me," he said, pointing towards the clucking figure. "Is he possessed?"

Attrei arched his brows. "I thought he might be mentally disturbed, but now that you mention it… maybe he's been possessed by a chicken demon."

"There are chicken demons?" Mario wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Oh, I've never heard of them," Attrei admitted, "but why wouldn't there be? Korlys! Don't hurt him!"

"What the fuck, Baby? That guy almost killed us! Don't listen to him, Korlys!"

But there seemed to be no danger of Korlys listening to Attrei. In fact, the ex-Crow gave no sign of having heard either of them. He had finally reached the mage and was attempting to sweep his legs out from under him. Unfortunately, Korlys needed _two_ good legs to do so, and currently only had one. This proved to be not such a big problem after all, as Korlys simply floated into the air. He hovered a few feet above the deck like a big crow, one leg extended out, trying to trip Claudio. The bigger problem was that Claudio was hopping and flapping so energetically, it was impossible to aim properly.

Annoyed, Korlys touched down in a huff, steadying himself on one leg, and crossed his arms. "I know you are just faking, Claudio. Your clucking is shamefully déclassé - really, you are just embarrassing yourself now."

Claudio stopped. "No, it is not," he said, affronted. Before he could add anything else, however, the chicken dance song suddenly started playing. With a confused frown, he looked around, but there was no accordion in sight. He wanted to ask what was going on, but all that came out was, 'Cluck! Cluck!'

Korlys' mouth fell open - a chicken now stood where an annoyed mage had been moments ago. "I guess you were not faking after all," Korlys said after he'd collected himself. "Kudos."

"Oh. That didn't work quite the way it should." Attrei joined him and squatted next to the chicken. "I don't understand! It's a standard procedure. If you cast a spell to turn the person into the thing he's possessed by, it forces that demon out because they don't like looking like themselves. They possess people to be something they're not, you see. Demons are obsessed with human role-playing games."

"It appears if the person is not possessed, the spell actually works." Korlys patted Attrei's shoulder. "Do not be so hard on yourself - you could not have known. Claudio really was doing a good job of feigning possession... or mental illness - it is hard to say. I only told him he was being obvious because I know how touchy he can be when someone criticizes his acting skills. And besides..." Here Korlys squatted down to get a better look at the hen. "Now we will have fresh eggs for the whole voyage. Well, we will if Claudio is a good sport about all this, anyway."

The hen pecked his finger in reply. "Ouch. Dammit, Claudio - be a team player. I am sure Attrei will reverse the spell as soon as he can; you may as well be useful in the meantime, yes?"

"Or we can make chicken soup," Mario suggested, unconcerned. "More importantly, what does deeclassy mean?"

"It is a fancy way to say 'no class'," Korlys said with a smirk, and then "Ouch!" when Claudio pecked him again. He scowled at the chicken. "I told you I did not mean it." Then in a lower voice, he added, "Touchy mage," as he examined his wounded finger.

Mario frowned. "Stop that!" he barked at the hen. "How dare you act all offended! You almost killed Baby! Laying some fresh eggs is the least you can do if you have any decency!"

"Don't yell at him, don't you see he's already stressed?" Attrei gently stroked the chicken's wings. "Besides, everything is fine. We're all right, and the bad Crows are dead. And he's Korlys' friend - what did you say his name was?"

"'Dinner', if he pecks me one more time," Korlys replied, giving the chicken an ominous look.

The chicken moved closer to Attrei, glaring suspiciously at the other two. "Awww, look what you did, you scared him," Attrei said, scooping it up. "Don't worry. I won't let them cook you." Suddenly his stomach growled. "All this talk about dinner is making me hungry! Let's go see what's in the kitchen."

If a chicken could stick its tongue out, Korlys was sure Claudio would be doing so right now. He rolled his eyes. _Spoiled brat._ "Okay, but I believe Claudio would be more comfortable staying _out_ of the kitchen, yes? Unless he wants a nice, hot bath."

"Yeah, Baby could lend him his herbs, they smell real nice," Mario said with a toothy grin - then laughed out loud as the chicken started clucking loudly and flapping its wings furiously, feathers flying as it struggled to get free from Attrei's hold. Surprised, the mage let go, and the chicken made a ridiculously awkward flight to the deck, where it then folded its wings up and strutted around in a huff.

Korlys chuckled. "Well, I guess we will not be having chicken soup then," he teased, but the chicken didn't seem to appreciate the joke. _Eh, Claudio never did have a sense of humor when the joke was on him._ "But I am starving, too. Ooh, maybe they will have fish chowder!" he said hopefully, as they headed off to find the galley, the chicken all but forgotten.

But this was an _Antivan_ chicken, and they are even more likely to hold grudges than ordinary chickens. Claudio spied Mario's backpack lying a few feet away. _Oh, I will squeeze out something white, alright,_ he thought gleefully, as he waddled towards it to wage his vendetta, _but it will not be eggs._


	4. Save Tonight - Part One

_The events in Save Tonight happen shortly after the beginning of book two and should be considered canon. Part two should be published next week._

* * *

 **Save Tonight**

 **Part 1**

They turned the corner, and Mario sighed in relief. Finally, they were out of sight of the ship. Just the two of them. Without the kids, without the grumpy healer, and most importantly, without the wannabe funny comments from Baby. Acting like he knew all about dating, just because he'd read a book or two. When would he learn that real life wasn't like the books?

He glanced at Korlys, wondering if he should take his hand, but decided it would be too girlish. " _Now_ will you tell me where are we going?"

Korlys smiled in a self-satisfied way. "I noticed a little restaurant while I was out scouting the town that reminded me of an Antivan bistro. I thought we might try it out."

His enigmatic Antivan refused to elaborate as they hurried through the streets, their cloaks wrapped tightly around them to keep out the damp chill of an early Fereldan cold snap. Dull grey clouds, pregnant with precipitation, had driven most townspeople indoors, leaving them surrounded by a quiet punctuated only by the sounds of their boots on the cobblestones and the sleet tapping against their cloaks. Their surroundings did nothing to dampen their moods - the weather seeming cozy to them - and soon they arrived at the town's central plaza.

Mario barely suppressed a chuckle when he saw the fancy building with its ornaments and doodads. _A bistro, he says_. He'd bet it was the poshest place in the whole town. He didn't say anything aloud, though, letting Korlys lead him inside.

As soon as they walked in, a waiter greeted them and led them to a table next to a fireplace where a lively fire had already been kindled. It was made out of large stones held together with mortar, and the faint smell of pine enveloped them as they were seated. The crackling of wood being devoured was punctuated every now and then by a pop as the fire found a pocket of sap. The combined effect created an intimate atmosphere that invited guests to linger long over food and wine, and of which Korlys heartily approved. He was already in the most excellent of company, and if the food was half as good he would be content.

That the waiter's demeanor hadn't faltered when their ears were revealed as they'd removed their cloaks, hinted of a proprietor with a democratic mind - at least when it came to business. Korlys' impression was soon confirmed when the man himself bustled out of the kitchen to greet them.

" _Buonasera_! Welcome to Via Emilia!" The man had a booming voice and was impeccably dressed. His arms stretched wide in greeting, echoing the amiable smile on his face, as he reached their table. "I am Emilio Catalucci, your humble host." Emilio punctuated this statement with a theatrical bow. "Tonight," he said, after finishing his genuflection with a flourish executed with a grandiosity rarely seen outside of Antiva, "we are pleased to announce we are serving our signature dish - succulent prime rib _au jus_ and a sour cream horseradish sauce, accompanied by roasted new potatoes and green bean amandine. It is an original Antivan recipe. You will not find any other like it outside Antiva City, I assure you."

Korlys had sat up straighter in surprise as he recognized the owner's accent. Now his lips curled into an amused smirk. "Oh? I was not aware that prime rib was an Antivan dish." He watched the flicker of recognition in the eyes of the owner as he instantly connected the dots - a well-dressed Antivan elf was almost certainly a Crow. But as a true Antivan proprietor, that slight flicker was the only sign, and it was gone in an instant - his expression never faltered. It was a reaction so familiar to Korlys it felt like home.

"Ah, a fellow countryman! It is so rare to meet another Antivan in Ferelden."

Korlys understood the subtext as clearly as if Emilio had said it aloud - 'I hope you are not here for _me_.' "We are just passing through - this country is much too cold for my taste."

Emilio chuckled, the subtle tension in his shoulders easing. " _Sí_ , that is the one thing I cannot seem to get used to." Here the waiter returned with the wine list, which he handed to Korlys. "Well, I will let you get back to your meal, but please choose anything you would like from the wine list - on the house. And do not hesitate to notify me immediately if everything is not absolutely perfect." Emilio bowed again and left to make the rounds of the few other tables where customers were seated.

"What was that about?" Mario asked softly, staring at the man as he walked away. "Why would he give us wine for free? Unless it's some cheap ogre piss."

Korlys chuckled. "I would imagine a well-dressed Antivan elf in Ferelden is very rare - and one who just so happens to show up in a restaurant owned by a fellow Antivan rarer still, _sí_?"

The thief frowned. "Just because you're an Antivan elf he thinks you're a Crow and you want to kill him? Who does he think he is, the Queen of Antiva?"

"Tsk. Mario, your indignation is charming but unwarranted. Surely you cannot expect the thought not to cross his mind - any Antivan in his situation would be cautious if they had any sense." Korlys' smile faded, and a faint weariness colored his gaze. "You will have to get used to situations like this, you know. It does not bother me, and it should not bother you." His grin reappeared. "Besides - free wine!"

"I guess it has some perks," Mario agreed in the same light tone, although he didn't intend to get used to it. "Then choose the most expensive one."

A short perusal of the wine list, and Korlys was delighted to find an Orlesian vintage he knew was very good. He ordered it, and soon their glasses were filled with an exquisite merlot.

Korlys held his glass up to admire the hue. As casually as if they were discussing the weather, he remarked, "Those men at the table near the entrance - they are intriguing, are they not? I wonder what is in the bag at their feet."

Mario discreetly turned his head. The men were trying hard to appear unremarkable and relaxed, but when you looked closely, there were too many things that didn't fit in. Like the other guests here, these three had neat clothing of good quality - but they lacked their relaxed nonchalance. They were all stiff, sitting too straight. Like someone wearing nice clothes for the first time… or apprentices on their first big job. "Maybe it's their first time in a posh restaurant, too," he offered, hoping he wasn't as obvious as them.

"Perhaps," Korlys murmured. "In any case, as long as they do not disrupt our evening, it is none of our concern, _sí_?" He inhaled slowly and deeply over his wine glass, then took a small sip, allowing it to rest on his tongue momentarily before swallowing. "Ah, this is marvelous!"

Mario picked up his glass, swirled it and sniffed it; it felt awkward, but Attrei insisted you were supposed to do that before you drank wine. He'd decided Mario needed to learn table manners, what fork and spoon to use for different meals and how to pour wine from a bottle correctly, that sort of stuff. Normally Mario wouldn't give a damn - food was just something you needed to keep going, and it tasted the same no matter what fork you used. At least that was what he used to think before he met his spoiled Antivan, who enjoyed having fancy meals in places like this. And before he found out that being spoiled was contagious.

The wine _was_ marvelous. "Are there plums in this?" he asked, delighted. "I thought all wine was made from grapes."

"It does taste like plums," Korlys agreed, "but no. The winemaker influences how a particular vintage will taste by deciding when the grapes will be picked," here he held his glass up to the light again, "how they are to be fermented, whether or not to filter-" Korlys caught himself and glanced at Mario, suddenly realizing he was starting to ramble; the thief probably wasn't interested in such intricacies. But he was pleased to see Mario was looking at him with admiration instead of boredom. _"Mi dispiace_ \- I tend to get a little carried away when discussing wine."

"No, I liked it," Mario assured him. To be honest, he didn't really understand or care, but it was clear Korlys did - no surprises there - and that he enjoyed talking about wine almost as much as drinking it. He was so animated, Mario wouldn't mind hearing more. But before he could say so, their waiter arrived, and Mario sat up more stiffly, watching silently as the man placed plates of steaming hot food in front of them.

Only when they were alone again did Mario relax a bit. He took a deep breath and smiled at Korlys. "This smells delicious. Are you _sure_ it isn't Antivan?"

"It is not Antivan, no. But since it is an Antivan recipe, I am sure it is much better than ordinary prime rib." Korlys winked.

Seeing Mario watching him closely, and knowing he was feeling uncertain about his table manners, he carved a thin slice off of his prime rib, then dipped it in the _jus_ and horseradish sauce before popping it into his mouth. "I was right. Try it."

"I've no doubts this is not an ordinary _prime_ rib since prime means the best possible quality." Mario tried to keep his face straight as he copied Korlys' actions. "Mmmm… it's the best roasted rib _I_ ever had, that's for sure."

Like the best of waiters, theirs managed to be instantly available when needed, and completely invisible otherwise. He came by from time to time to top off their glasses as they enjoyed their meal, but did so so unobtrusively that the men hardly noticed his presence.

"Did you notice the flyers?" Mario asked. "About Banns Rutherford and Kingsley having a night football match? A _night match_. How silly can nobles be? But Maker knows what they imagine a football match is. Wouldn't be surprised if they just ran in circles."

Korlys gave a wicked grin. "So, you do not like playing ball at night?" He just couldn't resist teasing Mario a bit, but relented as the thief blushed fiercely. "Actually, I thought we might watch it. In Antiva, it is very popular, and much time is spent discussing the merits of various teams and who will win the next match. We call it _Calcio Rialto._ A lot of money changes hands, of course - Antivans cannot resist a good wager."

"Yeah, it's popular here, too. Lizards had their own team, you know. But it's a dirty game, or at least the way we played it. I was always full of bruises. Can't imagine playing it at night."

"Oh it is a dirty game the way Antivans play as well, as I am sure you can imagine. But, playing at night has its advantages... especially for a talented pickpocket and his astonishingly handsome student, yes?"

"What?" Mario was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea of a football match, played dirty in the Antivan way. "Oh. That's brilliant!"

"Naturally." Korlys winked. He was about to add to that when a movement caught his eye. He'd never entirely stopped observing the men he'd pointed out earlier - his training had taught him the dangers of disregarding the out-of-place - and now they were standing up, two of them unsheathing longswords and the third pulling a shortbow out of the bag at their feet.

The sudden tension in Korlys' body and shifted gaze was all Mario needed to know that something was up. He turned his head.

"Ladies and gentlemen," one of the men - the archer - said, "this is a robbery. Please stay calm and do what we say and nobody will get hurt. Put your wallets, jewelry and weapons on the tables," the man continued. "My comrade will collect them, and then we'll leave and you can finish your dinners in peace."

"You've got to be kidding me," Mario he muttered incredulously and turned back to Korlys. "What now?"

Korlys' eyes danced with mirth. "Well, it seems we should do as they say, yes?" The Antivan reached out and laid his wallet on the table, his eyes locked on Mario's, silently communicating to follow his lead.

"And just when we were getting to the dessert," the thief complained as he pulled out his wallet.

The bandit shifted his weight, lifting the bow and fitting an arrow in its string in one smooth motion. Whatever else he was, he was obviously very comfortable with his weapon, and therefore likely a competent archer. And he was looking their way. "Weapons too."

"Yeah, yeah. We heard." Mario rolled his eyes, unsheathed his knife and put it on the table.

Since the bandits didn't protest, Korlys followed suit, laying his two Crow daggers on the table, unsheathed. Surely they wouldn't be so foolish as to allow that, would they?

It turns out, they would. Satisfied, the archer nodded to his cohort to take the bag and start. The man - a little mouse of a fellow, thin and pale, with dull brown hair and dishwater eyes - sheathed his weapon and obeyed.

Out of the corner of his eye, Korlys could see Emilio crouched behind the half-wall that separated the main dining room from a smaller area used for overflow in busy times. He must have sneaked out from the kitchen, the door to which was at the back, when he'd heard the ruckus. The owner was perfectly situated - the bandits were facing away from that area. Maybe he could use that somehow; the man was also Antivan, and therefore naturally brave.

The assassin flicked his gaze briefly, met Emilio's eyes and then looked away. There was no way he could think of to communicate any direct instructions, and even if he could, no possibility of coming up with a plan. They'd just have to wing it. Even if the owner only managed to create a momentary distraction, Korlys could make use of it.

Mouse moved from table to table, sweeping wallets, pouches and weapons into the bag, and rudely forcing the ladies to take off their jewelry. Finally he reached the last table before theirs. It was occupied by an elderly couple both of whom looked like shriveled raisins in frills; there was a considerable pile of rings in front of them. Mouse quickly stuffed them into his bag, then pointed at the lady's head. "That thing, too."

"Excuse me?" she said indignantly.

The man reached across the table and snatched something out of her hair. She restrained herself from shrieking but turned all red in the face - an improvement over her waxy complexion, if you asked Mario - and sat there seething in hurt dignity and helpless fury, unable to have him whipped or throw him to mabaris, or whatever she would normally do if anyone dared to offend her.

The bandit arrived at their table, stepping between Korlys and the archer as he reached for their stuff, and blocking the archer's line of sight. In the blink of an eye the ex-Crow grabbed one of his daggers, and in another plunged it through the man's hand, pinning it to the table. It was intensely painful, Korlys knew, but he hoped the robber wouldn't be foolish enough to pull the knife out. He didn't want to kill the man - unless he made it necessary, of course.

Mouse screamed like a stuck pig, dropping the sack with the loot. Now! Mario grabbed his knife and ducked under the table. Almost instantly, he heard the swish of an arrow and a soft thunk as it hit the chair. Fuck. Perhaps they weren't completely dumb after all. But Korlys would deal with that. _He_ had to take down the third one, the one with the sword, four tables away if he moved clockwise. Thank the Maker for fancy long tablecloths and romantic candlelight! They provided the perfect cover for his movements as he slid from under one table to another. He could only hope the nobles weren't stupid enough to give away his position.

Using the robber's body to shield himself from the archer, Korlys picked up his other dagger as Mario disappeared. Just then, Emilio decided it was time to join the fun. He popped up like a jack-in-the-box and threw a heavy glass at the archer. Korlys laughed at the 'bonk' sound it made as it bounced off the man's skull. "Stick around," he said with a maniacal grin to the man pinned to the table, "while I go introduce myself to your friend." The man - busy shrieking in pain - didn't reply.

Mario wrapped himself in shadow and carefully lifted the tablecloth to see what was going on. He half expected another arrow in his direction, but the archer wasn't paying attention - he was facing the kitchen, rubbing his head and yelling curses and threats. The swordsman was just a few steps from the table, turning in all directions in a pitiful attempt to look threatening. Mario lowered the tablecloth again and moved a bit to the left. Inch by inch, he snaked out and crept along the wall towards the coat rack. The swordsman never glanced his way; maybe he didn't expect any danger from that direction.

By the time he got behind the swordsman, the archer was already reaching for another arrow; if there was any chance to get to the other man, it was now. He had to believe Korlys had his back. He lunged forward, wrapped an arm around the man's chest, and put the knife to his throat. "Don't move," he hissed. The man yelped in surprise but obediently stiffened.

"Drop your weapon," Mario ordered. The sword clattered to the floor. Kicking it away, he looked around to see what Korlys was doing.

The assassin had the point of one dagger pressed against the lower right side of the archer's back, and his other hand was gripping the man's ponytail, pulling just hard enough to tilt the bandit's head back a bit. The archer's body was frozen the way a kitten's body freezes when picked up by the scruff of the neck, and Korlys was leaned in closely, his lips hovering near his ear in an almost intimate way, lips moving but voice too low to catch. Whatever the ex-Crow was saying, it had turned the bandit's face ashen. Korlys paused, and the man nodded as best he could.

Apparently satisfied with that response, Korlys looked around and caught Mario's eye. He gave a smirk and tipped a wink, then addressed Emilio. "If you would be so kind as to relieve..." Here he looked at the bandit, who shakily replied, "Rolph." Korlys grinned. "'Rolph' here of his bow, I believe he would like to apologize to your patrons and return their belongings - it seems this was all a misunderstanding, was it not?"

Rolph nodded awkwardly again, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed nervously.

Emilio stepped forward to retrieve the bow, looking at Korlys with a mixture of relief and incredulity.

Once that was done, Korlys let go of the man's hair, keeping the tip of his dagger where it was as Emilio nocked an arrow and pointed the bow at Rolph with surprising expertise. The assassin stepped back and let the would-be robber stammer his apologies, his face now flushed red with embarrassment tinged with anger and fear.

Mario chuckled. "Damn, we're good. You should follow your friend's lead and apologize, too," he said to the bandit as he withdrew his knife and sheathed it. He strolled over to Mouse, still pinned to their table.

"I would help you, but I'm not a healer," he said. "You'll have to wait until the guards arrive; I'm sure they'll be _very helpful_."

Korlys walked to Mario's side. "Actually, I should probably also give him the antidote... but unfortunately," he leaned over slightly to get a closer look at the wound, "that will not help as long as the poisoned blade is still in his hand." The assassin touched the handle gingerly, causing the bandit - who had managed to calm himself to quiet whimpers - to flinch.

"S-ser," the bandit stuttered, "perhaps someone has a healing potion or poultice instead? No need to involve the city guards... if the guards come, they will just ask a lot of tiresome questions, and we've already disrupted your meal long enough - for which we are deeply sorry, I assure you!"

"That's the first clever thing you said tonight," Mario said.

"I wish it were that easy," Korlys said. He gave a heavy sigh, as if he truly regretted his words, but he was clearly enjoying himself. "But my companion and I do not have any with us, and I doubt that the other guests or the owner will be inclined to help."

Emilio cleared his throat. "Actually, I have several - we always keep some on hand for kitchen accidents - and I would prefer not to have a dead man in my establishment, if possible. Bad for business, yes? Perhaps I could tell your friend where it is, and he could bring it to you."

"Why don't you yell for a waiter to bring it," Mario snapped. Just because he wasn't a Crow didn't mean they could use him as an errand boy. "And he can also bring some rope so we can tie those two up."

"There is no need for that," Rolph said nervously, as the owner called for a waiter. "As your friend said, it was all a misunderstanding."

"That depends on the noble guests here, too, you know," Mario said, with a little bow to the lady with the messed up hair, who glared at the bandit like a pissed off and stuck up mother hen. He took the bag with the loot and walked over to her table. "I am very sorry you had to be robbed by such a barbaric butterfingers, ma'am. Please allow me to return your jewelry."

Korlys smirked at Mario's grand airs. The assassin leaned casually against their table, arms crossed, in a carefree manner completely unlike what one would expect from someone who had a man dying right next to him. A waiter arrived with both a health potion and a poultice - since he wasn't sure which one Korlys wanted, he explained. The ex-Crow took them both and set them on the table.

He turned to the bandit. "This will be very painful, but you will need to keep your hand still to avoid any more damage." Korlys grasped the handle of the dagger with one hand, and placed the other over the bandit's - he would need the leverage anyway, as the blade appeared deeply sunk into the wood underneath, and he doubted the man's self control.

Putting all his weight into it, he pulled, but the dagger barely moved, causing him to have to work it back and forth to loosen it. Blood gushed forth, and the bandit screamed, but there was no other way to remove it. _I hope this does not ruin the blade._

Mario had just moved to another table when the shrieks stopped. Surprised, he turned to Korlys - just in time to see the bandit sagging on the table, unconscious. The noble couple gasped, and the lady turned so pale Mario thought she would faint as well.

With an irritated sigh, he put the bag with the loot on the table and flashed a strained smile at the lady. "Please excuse me, ma'am. And don't watch - it's not a sight for a lady."

He returned to Korlys and wrapped his arms around the bandit's body from behind, lifting him. At least he wasn't as big and heavy as the other two. "I'll hold him. You finish this - or him, if it's faster," he muttered softly.

"It would be _faster_ to whack his hand off with a meat cleaver, but I'm not leaving my dagger here." Korlys leaped lightly onto the table, planted one boot on the bandit's hand, wiped his palms on his trousers and crouched. Wrapping both hands around the pommel of his blade, he jerked upward with all his strength.

The dagger flew upward, but luckily not out of his grasp. The assassin sheathed it without looking and crouched back down. Blood was pouring out of the wound - far too quickly to make using a potion feasible. Korlys picked the poultice instead, wrapping it around the man's hand tightly to staunch the flow.

That done, he leaped down and slapped the unconscious bandit across the face, leaving a bloody palm print on the man's cheek. "Wake up, _idiota_!" The bandit's eyes rolled and his eyelids fluttered. Close enough. Korlys took the health potion, tilted the man's head back, and poured the liquid down his throat. He tossed the empty bottle aside, then pulled out a vial of the antidote from one of his many hidden pockets and had the man drink that as well.

"Good enough," the ex-Crow said after observing for a moment. "If he dies now, it is his own fault." He looked at Mario and grinned _._ "You can let him go."

Mario eased the stupefied bandit onto a chair. Stupid, incompetent fool. As if ruining his date with Korlys wasn't enough, now his hands and the sleeves of his shirt - his best shirt, too - were soaked in blood and dripping on the fancy carpet. He grimaced. "Can we get cleaned up somewhere?" he asked the owner, who was hovering over Rolph and his friend, now both tied up. "We can deal with these three later."

"Of course!" Emilio agreed heartily. He set the bow aside as he hurriedly waved over two of the servants gathered just outside the entrance to the kitchen. "Prepare basins of hot water and get soap and fresh towels ready upstairs for the gentlemen."

The owner turned back to Korlys and Mario. "My living quarters are upstairs," he said, herding them towards the staircase at the back of the restaurant. "Please use my bathroom to get freshened up. I will take care of everything, not to worry - I will send someone to buy you new clothes to replace those, and by the time you are done, we will have everything cleaned up down here and a new table set for you."

" _Grazie_ , Emilio - we are not in the mood for tiresome questions from the city guards, as you can imagine," Korlys hinted.

"Of course, of course!" Emilio repeated. "You will never have to see them, I assure you." By then the three of them had arrived at the bottom of the staircase. "Please - consider my home your home."

"No need to waste the guards' time," Mario said. "If you get me."

Korlys' glanced at Mario briefly at the same instant Emilio was glancing his way, but neither Antivan showed surprise - or any emotion other than bland cordiality. In truth, the proprietor was likely not at all surprised, considering.

"Certainly," Emilio quickly agreed. "I will make sure they are at your disposal."

Korlys would have laughed aloud at that pun, but Mario likely didn't realize the owner expected him to 'dispose' of them in the traditional Crow fashion. He settled for a pleasant smile. " _Grazie_ , Emilio. I had almost forgotten what Antivan hospitality was like."

With that ambiguous remark delivered, the assassin turned to Mario. "Come, before the water turns cold." Two men had already gone up the stairs with hot water, and he couldn't wait to get out of these bloody clothes... and to help Mario out of _his_ as well.

oOo

"You were right about the perks," Mario said with a smirk as he closed the door behind them. "Sorry for using your past like that but just because those three are morons, it's no reason to help the city guards… but, more importantly." Mario slowly walked over to Korlys, the smirk changing into a hungry smile. "Do you have any idea how bloody sexy you were back there?"

"Oh?" Korlys pulled his shirt up and over his head, consciously flexing the muscles of his upper body as he did so. He let the shirt fall to the floor.

Mario ran his hands over Korlys' abs. "So powerful, so in control, and… dangerous."

"Then I will have to be more powerful..." the assassin leaned in and placed a kiss at the curve where Mario's neck met his shoulder as he untucked Mario's shirt, "and in control..." Korlys moved to the other side of the thief's neck and placed another soft kiss as he slipped his hands underneath his shirt and trailed his fingertips up Mario's sides, "and dangerous..." Korlys let his lips brush against Mario's skin as he traced his way up to his mouth, stopping himself before actually kissing the other elf, his hands coming to rest against Mario's back, "more often, _sí_?"

Mario unlaced Korlys' pants and breeches but did not pull them down; he slid his hand inside, feeling Korlys' length and gently squeezing it through the cloth. " _Sí_." He grinned as Korlys started to rip the buttons of Mario's shirt off, clearly unable to continue playing his games.

Seeing the thief's expression, Korlys winked. "Perhaps I will work on the control part another time."

oOo

Soon - way too soon, if you asked Mario - they were done, sparkling clean, smelling of rosemary and camomile, and wearing new sets of clothes. Mario had been pleased to see they were the same dark colours as their own, not nonsense colours like maroon or purple.

They were on their way back down to the dining room when they heard a question that made them pause in the middle of the stairway.

"Who _are_ those elves, Signor Emilio?" a female voice asked.

"I'd like to know that, too," a mildly irritated male voice said. "This used to be a respectable place. Since when do you allow knife-ears in here?"

"Those 'knife-ears' proved to be more able and brave than many," the female voice snapped.

"They are a distinguished gentleman from Antiva and his" - here there was an almost imperceptible pause, followed by an equally subtle stress on the last word - "consort. Very respectable, I assure you."

"An elf a distinguished gentleman?" the man asked derisively. "Antivans have strange- oh." There was a brief pause. When the noble spoke again, his voice sounded strained. "I wonder what business he has in the city."

Korlys continued his descent down the stairway as Emilio replied, his tone one of barely-veiled amusement tinged with contempt. "I am sure I would not know - feel free to ask him yourself, if you would like."

The ex-Crow timed his steps perfectly - walking out into the dining room on the last word. All heads turned, and Korlys gave them a wolfish grin. "Ask me what?"

"To ask you if you would honour us with your presence tonight," the elderly gentleman replied. He walked over to Korlys and extended his hand. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Rutherford, Bann of Northern Hills. We are having the annual football tournament this week, and tonight is the final match. We would be delighted if you and your companion could join us."

"Korlys Gambino," the Antivan said, shaking the man's hand. "And this is Mario Esmond," he continued smoothly, turning towards Mario, who was standing to his right. In truth, he didn't know Mario's last name, but he did not want to reinforce Emilio's obvious assumption that Mario was just a Crow's plaything. He leaned in subtly, resting a hand lightly on Mario's upper arm. "Would you like to attend, _caro_?"

"Sure, why not." He grinned at the Bann as he extended his hand. As he expected, the old bastard didn't have the balls to refuse him in front of the scary Antivan gentleman, and after the briefest hesitation, shook Mario's hand cordially.

"Excellent! The game does not start until nine, so please, finish your meal at your leisure. The venue is in near proximity to the restaurant; it will be a pleasant walk after dinner."

"Delightful," Mario said dryly. Why couldn't nobles talk like normal people? Venyou and progsimity, couldn't they just say it wasn't far? Feeling like a mangy mabari that sneaked into the Chantry under their stares, he followed Korlys to their table. It was remarkable how quickly they had managed to clean up the mess. The whole dining room was sparkling. Not a single drop of blood anywhere, and a new table had been set by the fireplace, complete with a new bottle of wine and all that confusing cutlery. One would never guess there had been a robbery attempt not so long ago.

After a while, the nobles got tired of staring, or perhaps they remembered they were supposed to have manners, and the waiters brought new food and he relaxed again. Korlys looked unruffled, of course, as if all of this was normal. "So this is how you birdies are spoiled in Antiva? Expensive dinners and games with nobles and - what was the word they used for me?"

"'Consort'. _Sí_ , I suppose that the life of a Crow does have its 'perks' as you say," Korlys smiled politely and sipped his wine. "You know, I believe I had enough to eat even before we were interrupted. Would you like dessert?"

Mario lifted his brow. "I thought I already had some," he said lightly. "But I don't mind seconds."

Korlys' eyes lit up and his smile became genuine. "I believe I can arrange that. In fact, I have already rented the perfect place," he said with a wink.

"Ah, but we were invited to the game," Mario reminded him, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "And I promise you that it will be _delightful_. I'm gonna teach them what the consort of an Antivan gentlemen can do in near progsimity to their pockets."

oOo

The clouds had cleared, and a million stars glittered like diamonds against a backdrop of black velvet. The temperature had dropped even further while they were in the restaurant, and Korlys' breath fogged out in little clouds with each exhale. He was glad they'd brought their cloaks, and had his tightly wrapped around him, hood up.

They'd arrived at the large square where the game was to be played a few minutes before it was to start. Bleachers had been erected for the nobles, and Bann Rutherford and his wife were already settled in, seated close to the top where they'd have the best view. Mario and Korlys had said they'd join them shortly - they wanted to place a wager first. Which wasn't strictly true. Korlys indeed wanted to bet, and was in the process of doing that very thing. Mario, however, had other plans.

This many honourable citizens together in a poorly lit area was an opportunity no thief could ignore, not if they took their craft seriously. The local guild was probably out, too, but they were no match for a Lizard. As always, the rich people did all they could to make this easy, sticking together near the bleachers, maybe in hopes the Banns would acknowledge their existence with a gracious nod - it excited them more than sex, he'd bet.

By the time the game started and the big, clumsy humans began running all over the place, he had the most interesting citizens done. Nobles next. The bleachers had seven rows; the first row was too low to get underneath it, but as the nobles seated their guards there anyway, it wasn't a big loss. Left side first, from the bottom to the top, then back down the right side - and then he could join Korlys. With that, he wrapped himself in shadow and crept under the bleachers. Strictly speaking, such caution wasn't really necessary - the players and the crowd made such a ruckus the nobles wouldn't hear him unless he yelled right in their ears - but it was always better to be overly careful than careless.

The first target was a sturdy man in a thick fur coat. He reached through the gap and untied the strings of the pouch. It was pleasantly heavy in his palm, and he hummed in satisfaction as he put it in his inside pocket. He was about to move to the next one when he noticed a dark shadow moving at the other end of the row. He crouched down, observing his competitor. To his surprise, it was a young human woman, wearing a proper dress, her hair combed up. Once she finished here, she could mingle with the crowd watching the game. That she didn't bother to hide or disguise herself meant she had someone to cover her back nearby.

That could cause trouble. A guild was likely informed about him and Korlys… Better not let them know they were here. Still unaware of his presence, the girl moved to the upper rows. With a wide smirk, Mario moved deeper into the shadows. Let her work, if she wanted. Once they both finished, he could take everything from her. Faster that way. Okay, time to get to work.

The girl was good, he'd give her that. She worked systematically, not a movement wasted as she untied the coin purses and pouches and dropped them in her own pouch, tied under her upper skirt. But he was better. When he finished the last of his targets, at the end of the fourth row, she still had two to go. Just as he wanted; if she was faster and moved to his now purse-free targets, she would immediately know what happened and run away with all the loot. Including _Korlys'_ wallet. If he let that happen, Korlys would laugh his ass off. And he'd never let Mario live it down.

He tiptoed behind her, waiting for the best opportunity. It finally came as she reached the last guy. He was wearing a heavy fur coat and apparently was smart enough to keep his wallet in the inner pocket. Cursing under her breath, she stood on her toes to lift the hem of the coat and slide her hand beneath it. Brilliant! He stepped behind her and gently slid his hand under the waistline of her skirt. It took just a second to feel the strings to the pouch, untie them, and pull it to him.

The next moment, she was down on him, determined to scratch his eyes out; he barely managed to jump aside.

"Give it back," she hissed at him.

"I don't wanna," he teased. "Go ahead and call your guild friends. Let them all see how you screwed up a beginner's job." That gave her pause. Just like he hoped.

"You are right, no one needs to know," she said in a sweet voice and took a step closer. "Why don't we… talk this over?"

"And I'd wake up in a middle of a square with a hangover, half naked, and robbed blind? No thanks. Besides, I don't swing that way."

"Ah!" She stopped turning her head to the top row. "You don't happen to be with that weirdo - fourth from the left - do you? I wasn't sure why he'd do _that_ \- it's not what people normally do when they feel a pickpocket taking their wallet. But it makes sense now. He thought it was you!"

That gave _him_ pause. She couldn't possibly mean Korlys. There was no way he'd give himself away. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

The girl giggled. "No no. I'm not telling you. Go ahead and ask him. Let him know he was robbed by someone else after all. Here, catch." She threw something at him. Surprised, he saw it was the purse of the last guy.

"Giving up already?" he asked warily, still wondering what Korlys could have done. Weirdo, she said… Why did it remind him of dirty football games played in the Antivan way? He should ask… or not. Some things were better left unanswered.

"Like you said, it's a beginner's job." The girl shrugged. "I'll do something else, say I never was here in the first place. But the next time we meet, I won't go this easy on you. I'm Strix, by the way."

"Pleased to meet you," he replied with a courteous bow. "Though I hope it's the last time, if you don't mind me saying so. As for my name, you're bright enough to figure it out yourself. Now, I need to apologize. I'm expected elsewhere." If her Guild was informed about them, she'd find out anyway; if they weren't informed, no need to alert them now. He melted in shadows and ran to join Korlys.

oOo

Korlys swore as Bann Kingsley's team scored the winning goal just as time ran out. True, he hadn't had a chance to learn much about either team before placing his bet, but it stung his pride just the same. He and Mario said their goodbyes to Bann Rutherford and his wife and made their way back to the restaurant, where they'd arranged to meet Emilio to take care of the bandits. The proprietor was beaming, having placed a sizeable bet on Kingsley's team, which didn't lighten Korlys' mood any.

Emilio indicated the men were tied up in the basement, and Korlys turned to Mario. "I will bring them up. You stay here - no need for both of us to go down into the cellar."

The Antivan descended the enclosed stairway, still grumbling to himself over his gambling losses. The last thing he wanted was to be _here_ , dealing with incompetent would-be bandits. As far as Korlys was concerned, this was the city guard's problem, but he knew how Mario felt about it.

The lantern he was holding pushed back the darkness of the root cellar just far enough to reveal the next three or four stairs in front of him as he went. The ex-Crow had just reached the bottom when he caught a glimpse of movement to his left. Instinct caused him to duck, but not quite fast enough, and he was dealt a glancing blow to the side of the head. Korlys staggered, but managed to keep his legs under him. He dropped the lantern. Luckily he was so low to the cellar floor that it stayed upright, but he barely noticed as he drew his daggers, moving quickly to the right.

Blood poured down the side of his head, and Korlys was suddenly coldly furious; here he was, wasting time trying to be merciful - time he _could_ be spending in bed with Mario - and this was the thanks he got. The ex-Crow silently circled the attacker, who still hadn't completely moved out of the range of the light; it certainly wasn't another Crow. The sounds of one or perhaps two others moving about in the dark could be heard, but they were coming from somewhere beyond and to the right of the assailant. He could assassinate this one first before taking care of them, if they were foolish enough to stick around. If not, Mario could handle them, and Emilio would likely join in - whoever he had been in Antiva, Korlys felt sure it was not a restaurateur.

The assassin stilled, waiting as the man looked around wildly, trying to get a glimpse of movement. Korlys' eyes had adjusted to the gloom, and his eyesight was keener in low light than any human's.

oOo

Mario was leaning against the wall, waiting for Korlys and the three bandits. Emilio was also there - Mario wasn't sure why, he'd hinted to the man that he wasn't needed, but he'd insisted that he had to lock up behind him. Mario had to bite his tongue to keep from telling him he'd been robbed tonight already, anyway.

He winced as he heard a soft thump coming from the cellar, as if something had fallen to the floor. If everything went smoothly, there'd be no reason for that. He silently ran down the stairs, thinking about what could've happened. He could think only of two reasons - the Crows had decided to make another attempt to capture Korlys - they never knew when to stop, annoying fools; or the three idiots had somehow caused problems and Korlys had killed them. Oh well. He tried to save their lives, but if they were that suicidal to attack his Antivan after what they _saw_ him do earlier, it was all their fault. Not even Baby could blame them for this.

Unsheathing his knife, he sneaked in, listening for other sounds, but all was quiet. He took a step in and looked around. A lit lantern was on the floor, but the cellar was full of barrels and crates blocking his view. There was something - potatoes or apples, he couldn't tell - in the left corner, and he could see the two dark shapes to his right; he couldn't tell if one of them was Korlys. Which meant Korlys couldn't see it was him, either - a thought far scarier than whoever had attacked his Antivan. Wrapping himself in shadow, he whistled their signal and moved from the light. Of course, Korlys wouldn't answer, but at least he'd know not to stab him.

Korlys' attacker turned towards the stairway at Mario's whistle, turning his back to him. With uncanny swiftness, the assassin darted forward and planted his foot to the back of the human's knee, causing him to cry out as his legs buckled. Before he had time to recover, Korlys had him kneeling, his head pulled back and a dagger at his throat.

"Rolph?" came a nervous question from near the staircase.

So these two were bandits. That was all that Mario needed to know. He lunged forward, jumping on the back of the closest one, toppling him. The man yelped in surprise. He squirmed, trying to get to his elbows, but couldn't get any leverage.

"Don't move," Mario ordered, pressing his knife to the man's neck. In the light cast by the lantern, Mario could see Mouse falling to his knees, begging for his life in front of Emilio, who was standing three steps up from the foot of the staircase with his bow aimed in Mouse's face.

"Please don't kill me! I have a family!" came the sound of Rolph's voice to Mario's right as the air was filled by the stench of piss. In the gloom Mario could barely make out the shape of a man on his knees, and another behind him, crouching or kneeling, he couldn't tell.

Korlys couldn't see up the stairway, but could hear the third man babbling desperately, so he assumed Emilio had him under control. His grip on the man's hair tightened. "That is not my problem," Korlys replied coldly.

"We _were_ merciful once," Mario joined in. "And here you go causing problems again."

"We only wanted to escape, ser!" came a muffled reply from the bandit beneath him. "We didn't mean to cause any trouble for you!"

"You know, I believe that," Mario said with a chuckle. "What should we do with these three idiots?" he asked Korlys. "They're a bigger danger to themselves than anyone else."

"Oh, so you did not mean to split my head open, did you?" the assassin growled, pulling Rolph's head back as far as it would go.

" _Sangue per sangue_ ," Emilio muttered.

Korlys froze at the sound of that familiar Crow saying. _Blood for blood._ The weary resignation in Emilio's voice, as if that was the way it was and there was no changing it, no stopping the senseless killings, shook him.

"No." He pushed the man away as he got up, causing Rolph to fall forward onto his face. Korlys sheathed his knife as he turned around and walked a bit farther into the dark to collect himself. He quickly forced a composed expression on his face, donning the persona of a self-assured, emotionless assassin.

"I believe it would be proper to let Emilio decide their fate," Korlys said as he walked back to where the others were. "It is his establishment."

Mario nodded. He didn't know what the Antivan's words meant, but he guessed it had to do with the Crows, and he was getting tired of this game. Korlys wasn't an assassin anymore, doing the dirty work for the cowards. If this fucker wanted them dead, he should at least have the balls to admit it. He turned to Emilio. "Well? What's it gonna be?" he asked, grinning at the man's dumbfounded expression.

Emilio lowered his bow slowly. He looked down as Mouse, who was still collapsed at his feet, looked up at him, silently waiting to hear his fate. He stood there, a thoughtful look on his face, for a surprising amount of time before replying. "I believe it would be best if the three of you left the city. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee that one of my customers might not see you on the streets and call for the guards themselves."

 _Interesting_. Mario tilted his head. He'd expected excuses from Emilio about how he couldn't decide, how it should be the Crow… Or maybe something like, 'well if he let you live, so will I'. This looked like the man honestly didn't want them dead. Perhaps he wasn't that bad. "Seems it's your lucky day." Mario withdrew his knife and got up. "And it's not just guards that might be interested in you. I'm pretty sure the thieves guild won't like you trying to rob the nobles right under their noses. If you want to survive, get out of the city. And for fuck sake, never try to steal again. It was painful to watch."

The bandits didn't waste time exiting the restaurant. "We should go, too," Mario said. "We still want to… do _things_ tonight."

Korlys followed Emilio and Mario back upstairs to the dining room. His head was pounding, exhaustion was starting to drain him of what energy he had left, and the side of his face felt crusty with drying blood.

Emilio raised his lantern to inspect the ex-Crow's scalp. "You have a pretty good gash there. Sit down and I will stitch you up," he said pulling out a chair.

"Are you sure you know how?"

"Of course," the owner answered with a broad grin. "There was a time when I made my living as a surgeon - of sorts. Just rest - I will heat some water and gather the supplies."

"Is there anything I can do?" Mario asked.

" _Sí_ \- we have some oil lamps in the storage room off the kitchen, if you could gather some so I could have enough light to work with, I would appreciate it."

Korlys sat down, mildly surprised, as he watched the two bustle back and forth, bringing lamps, towels, Emilio's surgery supplies, and finally, the hot water. Their actions seemed as coordinated as if they were used to working together. It seemed Mario had changed his mind about the restaurateur.

Emilio rolled his sleeves up. "Mario, if you would hold one of the lamps up for me." He took one of the towels and carefully cleaned the drying blood from around the wound, then trimmed the hair closely.

"So... you were a surgeon 'of sorts' in Antiva?" Korlys asked casually as Emilio threaded his needle with silk thread. It was a bit of an effort, though; half his head felt on fire from the soap and water, and he'd had to grit his teeth more than once already. He wasn't looking forward to what was coming next.

" _Sí_ , there are times when one may not have access to a healer, or have an injury that requires surgery," here he tilted Korlys head slightly, and inserted the needle, "and it would be inconvenient to go to a more _conventional_ establishment, as I am sure you can imagine."

Korlys gritted his teeth, beads of sweat popping up on his brow. He grunted in agreement.

"You mean you worked for the Crows," Mario said dryly.

Emilio stopped what he was doing and looked at Mario before laughing heartily. "These Fereldans," he said to himself - or Korlys, it was hard to say - "always so straightforward. A refreshing change from Antivans, is it not?" He didn't wait for Korlys' reply, but bent forward to continue his work. "Yes, I stitched up many a Crow, but they were not my only patients. There are many who cannot afford the fees most surgeons charge. But the Crows always paid generously."

"Why did you leave?"

This time, Emilio did not stop stitching - a fact for which Korlys was immensely grateful. He only wished he'd thought to ask for brandy or something to dull the pain first.

" _On the other hand, there is much to be said for Antivan tact, yes?_ " Emilio murmured in their native Antivan, and Korlys snickered in spite of himself. He stitched quietly for a moment, but finally replied. "When I was eight, and my brother Roberto ten, our parents died. We were taken in by relatives who were very kind to us, but had eight children of their own. Roberto and I took odd jobs every chance we could, and what was left over after contributing to the family we saved. It was always his dream to open a restaurant, and so we did. By that time I had learned much about surgery - an elderly resident had taken me on as an apprentice of sorts, when he found I had the aptitude - and I did that on the side when not helping my brother.

"But, when Roberto passed away, I found I did not have the heart to continue running the restaurant on my own, and with no other family to keep me there, I decided to sell it and travel instead. And here I am." Emilio finished up the stitches in time with the close of his story, and he covered his work with a fresh bandage. "That should do it," he said with satisfaction.

" _Grazie_ , Emilio." Korlys got up, feeling the bandage gingerly. "And now, we must be going." As hospitable as the proprietor had been, he could tell the man preferred for them to leave before Mario asked any more questions about his past.

Emilio escorted them out, inviting them to come back at any time, and Korlys was excited to be _finally_ heading to the inn he had so carefully chosen. Mario's mood seemed upbeat - perhaps this evening would be salvageable after all.

* * *

A/N:

We're sorry for not updating or publishing anything for so long. Shebas has had some health problems to deal with in the past year, and it's put us a bit behind our intended schedule. We have already started to work on book two of the main story, but it will take some time until it's done.

Also, there may be more one shots coming in the future - we have several in progress right now, so we'll see.

We want to thank Oleander's One and Bloodsong 13T for agreeing to continue beta reading for us. It's so exciting to be working with you guys again!


	5. Save Tonight - Part Two

**.**

* * *

 **Save Tonight**

 **Part 2**

As Korlys ushered Mario into their room, he looked around and was pleased to note that everything was as he'd specified - a bottle of wine had been uncorked to allow it to breathe, and a tray of fruits and cheeses had been set out. A fire had been kindled in the fireplace earlier and had been allowed to die down a little so that it lent the room a rosy glow without making it too warm, and the bottle of massage oil he'd provided had been set out on an end table next to the bed.

The moment the Antivan closed the door of their room behind them, Mario leaned against it and pulled Korlys in for an urgent kiss.

"Finally," he moaned, sliding his hand down Korlys' pants. "Let's finish what we started at Emilio's house! And if anyone else tries to barge in, just kill him."

Korlys locked the door with one hand - because stopping to murder someone would definitely ruin the mood - and with his other hand, gently pulled Mario's away. "Not so fast. You said you _like_ it when I am commanding and in control, _sí_? That means I decide what happens next."

"You mean like in the bathroom earlier?" Mario's eyes danced with mirth. "If I remember correctly, you folded faster than a house of cards. Not that I can blame you - it's impossible to resist me."

"Oh?" Korlys' brow shot up, and he couldn't suppress a grin. "I was just taking pity on you because you obviously could not wait. Otherwise, I would have made you wait much longer. You cannot best me when it comes to seduction, _caro_. It is no contest."

"Okay. Let's do it your way - and we'll see who will be _seduced_ first."

The Antivan allowed the slightest hint of a smirk to appear. This would be his easiest victory ever. "Fine - we will have a contest to see who gives in first. We will take turns - on a turn, you have sixty seconds to do whatever you want to the other person. Only, once you touch a body part, you cannot touch it again in later rounds. The first one to beg loses. Sound fair?"

"Sure." Mario grinned. After what he said before, he didn't intend to lose. But it wouldn't be easy. For starters, he had no idea how to play a game like this. "You go first," he declared. "So you can't make excuses when I beat you."

Korlys gave a throaty laugh. "Perfect. Let us make ourselves more comfortable, and try the wine and fruit." Seduction was about much more than fucking, after all. In fact, he had started with the restaurant - or tried to, until those idiot robbers ruined it. But now they could resume their romantic evening with no possibility of further interruption.

They both kicked off their boots, then took turns peeling their shirts off slowly, showing off as much as possible. Korlys took a moment to enjoy the view - damn, his lover was _hot_ , then filled two glasses with wine while Mario relaxed on the bed. He handed one to Mario before slicing the peaches and apples, and peeling and quartering the oranges. Then he placed the tray on Mario's lap and climbed in to sit next to him.

"Have you ever had strawberries?" he asked, picking one up and holding it to the other elf's lips.

"Never." Mario playfully ate the strawberry and chuckled. "I just realized how good it is to have a spoiled brat for a lover. Though if you continue like this, I'll soon be just as spoiled as you."

Korlys gave Mario a brief kiss. "That is my plan, _caro_. Did you not know?"

"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd be this successful," the thief admitted with a smile.

"Ah, there you go, underestimating me again. I am only getting started, _tesoro_." With that, Korlys picked up one of the orange slices and held it to Mario's lips.

"I don't underestimate you." Mario obediently opened his mouth and ate the orange, taking care to lick all the juice from Korlys' fingers.

The Antivan's breath caught, and his eyes were glued to Mario's tongue. Fascinated, he picked up another wedge, this time caressing the other elf's lips with it first before sliding it between Mario's parted lips. Korlys' fingers didn't linger this time, though. Instead, he took a sip of his wine, his smoldering gaze locked on Mario.

Pleased with Korlys' reaction, Mario picked a bit of cheese and held it to Korlys' lips. "You should eat some, too," he said with an impish smile. Two could play this game.

The expression on Mario's face awoke his competitive instincts. _No way you can beat me at the game of seduction, caro. But, it will be fun, anyway, to show you how it is done._ Korlys took the cheese from Mario's hands between his teeth, his movements so delicate and precise that he didn't even graze the other elf's fingers. The look in his dark eyes was anything but delicate, however; it was animalistic, primal, desire burning like an inferno, so untamed it was a force all its own. Only Korlys knew that he was perfectly in control. He chewed slowly, his gaze locked on Mario's, communicating the intensity of his passion without the need for words. When he was done, he picked up a slice of apple and put it to Mario's lips.

This game was driving him crazy. Mario wanted nothing more than to push their food away and ravish Korlys, then and there. But, he also wanted to see how far he could push his lover - he wanted it to be Korlys who would lose control. Because of him. He smiled at Korlys, handing him another bit of cheese. "You should eat properly, or we'll never finish our snack."

The longing in Mario's eyes was easy to see. _Time to tease him a bit._ He reclined against his pillow and took his time eating a couple of apple slices and drinking his wine. "I believe it is your turn now, _sí_?

"No hurry. Finish your meal," Mario said nonchalantly, mildly disappointed at this development. How could Korlys be so calm now, when he was burning with desire just a moment ago? What could he do now to bring it back? His eyes glided down to the tray with the fruit. There was that pervy-looking yellow fruit. A banana? Something like that. He'd had it once before and knew it was sweet and firm. Maybe he could - no, that would be incredibly silly. By the Maker, what was wrong with him? How could he even be considering doing something like that?

He glanced at Korlys, still calmly munching the apples. That decided it. He peeled the fruit. Not daring to look at Korlys - lest he burst out laughing - he ran his tongue from the bottom to the tip several times, popping it in and out of his mouth, before he finally wrapped his lips around it and sucked.

"You look so sexy like that," Korlys said, his voice husky. He knew it had taken some courage for Mario to try something new like this - the other elf was blushing fiercely - and he didn't mind letting his appreciation show. Time to up the ante. The Antivan leaned over Mario to set his glass on the end table, making sure they didn't accidentally touch, then reclined on his pillow. He tucked one arm behind his head, flexing his biceps as he did so. Korlys fixed Mario with a heated gaze as he let his fingers trail across his chest, then slowly down his abs, and finally lower, gradually unlacing his pants.

"It looks like you're going to lose," Mario said with a smirk. Thank the Maker for the tray in his lap - he was as hard as Korlys, of course, but his stubborn Antivan didn't need to know it just _yet_. "It's obvious it's not me who is _seduced_ here."

That was not something Korlys could disavow, with nothing in his lap to hide the evidence. Clearly, he would have to take a different tack. "I can hold out much longer than you can, _caro_ ," the Antivan said playfully. "I believe it is your turn again - we should put this to the side first, so it is not in the way." Korlys got up and moved the tray to the table, still easily within Mario's reach.

He was gratified to see his suspicions confirmed - Mario was just as aroused as he was. The Antivan stretched out next to him, his arms above his head. "I am all yours, _caro_. Do what you will." Korlys kept the teasing smirk on his face, enjoying riling the other elf with his smugness, but also hoping to provoke Mario so that the game would last longer. All the buildup would just make the moment of their release that much more intense.

 _Being that sexy should be illegal._ And how was he supposed to survive this - to touch every part only once? Mario stretched out next to Korlys, propping himself on the elbow. "Are kisses also included in that rule?" he whispered in Korlys' ear, but not touching him yet.

"Hmm... How about this? We can kiss each other on the lips more than once, but after the first time, for every kiss there is a five-second penalty added onto the other person's turn. So, if you kiss me a second time, on my next turn I have sixty-five seconds to do what I want. And if you kiss me a third time, I get seventy seconds, and so on. Sound good?"

"Okay." Better not waste it yet, then. Instead, he focused his attention on Korlys' ear. He gently kissed the earlobe, following with tiny nibbles, just like he knew his Antivan liked. Slowly, he traced the shell of Korlys' ear with the tip of his tongue. "I'll lick from here to your toes, your whole gorgeous body if you don't give up," he whispered.

Knowing that reacting to Mario's efforts would only turn them both on more, Korlys moaned softly, tilting his head to the side so that the other elf had full access to his ear. His eyes had closed as he enjoyed each nibble, but now he opened them to gaze into Mario's eyes. "In that case, I will never give up," he murmured, then rolled over onto his side so that their chests were only inches from each other, propping up his head in his hand. The assassin allowed a wicked grin to spread across his face. "Oh, by the way, you _do_ realize that if you come you lose as well, yes?" he added, his tone deceptively casual.

" _If_ you can do that, of course," Mario replied with a confident smirk. He knew he wouldn't last long if Korlys wanted, but he also knew his Antivan enjoyed this game too much to end it early. His smirk widened. "Is that all you want to do for your turn?"

Korlys gave a low chuckle. "Oh _caro_ , if you think that, then you do not know me." He gazed deeply into Mario's eyes, and he leaned forward until his lips were inches from Mario's. "No, I am going to spend every second..." Korlys allowed his lips to brush briefly against the other elf's. "...of every turn..." Again their lips touched in the lightest of kisses. "...discovering new ways to make you moan," he murmured, before pressing their lips together once more, this time more demanding, forceful, answering Mario's challenge with one of his own.

oOo

"My turn now." Mario pushed Korlys on his back and sat up. He allowed his gaze to wander down Korlys' body, taking in every detail. During the last hour, he had tried his best to please Korlys, and to resist the urge to give in. Naturally, he was no match for his Antivan. Not that he'd expected to be, but it wasn't fair to Korlys. There was only one thing he could do.

With a nervous little smile, he straddled Korlys and leaned down for a kiss… for the tenth time at least. But it didn't matter anymore. "You win," he whispered when he broke the kiss. "I surrender. Now… fuck me."

Korlys laughed softly. "That is not how this works, _tesoro_. I win. I get what _I_ want, not what _you_ want, yes?" He took Mario's head in his hands and brought him closer, relieved to finally be able to touch when he wanted. He kissed Mario deeply, then pulled back just enough to be able to whisper, "And I want _you_ to take _me_."

Mario's body tensed. He sat back up, confused. "No! Why would you want that? I want you to enjoy tonight as much as I did."

Surprised, Korlys' dropped his arms. He let his hands rest lightly on Mario's thighs as he considered his lover's reaction. That was the first time anyone had ever said anything like that to him. Korlys caressed the smooth skin of Mario's legs, too distracted to really notice the action, though. He smiled up at Mario uncertainly. "Well, that is not the response I was hoping for..."

"But I don't want you to say you want that just so I can enjoy it… I want to give you pleasure, too, not do something that will hurt…"

"Oh." The relief the assassin felt was obvious as he relaxed. Korlys' smile returned, more certain this time. "I can see why you would think that way, but believe me, it can be _very_ pleasurable." _And I am not nearly so unselfish as all that,_ amore _._ "Perhaps next time I can show you how enjoyable it can be, _sí_? But not this time. This time it is my turn." At that, his grin turned naughty as he allowed his hands to wander closer to Mario's hips.

Mario carefully studied Korlys' face for a moment. "If you're sure about it, then I'll do whatever you want me to, love," he said softly, looking away. "But you'll have to tell me what to do. I've never done this before."

Korlys reached out and gently turned Mario back to face him. "I will show you what to do. That is the purpose of the lessons, yes?"

"Then teach me." The smile returned to Mario's face as he leaned forward for another kiss. "Teach me everything… so I can win next time."

The Antivan laughed. "Then we will have to practice every night. It will take a long time before you are good enough to beat me, _tesoro_."

oOo

Korlys kept his eyes closed as he slowly awakened to sunlight filtering through the window. It was just bright enough for the elf to deduce that it couldn't be much past sunrise. At his side, Mario's warm body was curled against him, their legs entangled, Mario's head resting on Korlys' bare chest, Korlys' arm wrapped around Mario's shoulders. The Antivan took a deep breath, inhaling the other man's by now familiar scent, and a small smile graced his face. He could hear Mario's gentle, steady breathing.

In spite of his resolve not to wake the thief, he couldn't help caressing Mario's arm. He loved the feel of lithe, taut muscles over smooth skin, and Mario's limbs were as agile and graceful as a cat's. Korlys felt the other elf stir, and he opened his eyes in time to see Mario lift his head slightly, his warm brown eyes opening to meet Korlys' gaze.

" _Buongiorno, caro,_ " the Antivan purred.

" _Buongiorno_ , love," Mario replied, a contented smile spreading across his lips. He did not move; if he could, he would stay like this the whole day. Korlys looked so gorgeous like this, his face bathed in the soft light of the morning sun, relaxed and calm. Like one of those elven gods Attrei was always talking about… not that he'd tell him that aloud. No need to make him even vainer than he was already. "Do you think Baby can manage the ship by himself? I don't wanna go back yet."

Korlys gave a throaty laugh, neatly flipped Mario onto his back, and leaned over him. "I think that the first mate can handle the ship just fine, yes? We have a good crew with us. If you would like, we can stay in bed all day." His face was a few inches from Mario's and, with a roguish grin, he pressed his lips against the other man's for a kiss before pulling away slightly and murmuring, "But, what will we do while we are here, hm?"

"Let me think." Mario frowned in concentration. "Hm… you could teach me Antivan. Or you could teach me _other_ things," he suggested with a naughty smile, running his hands through Korlys' hair.

"Oh?" The Antivan lowered his body onto Mario's and slid his forearms under the other man's shoulders, propping himself up on his elbows. "What other things would you like to learn?" Korlys' tone was teasing, but the look in his eyes was already turning heated.

Mario pulled Korlys in for a kiss. If he started talking, Korlys would turn this into another game that would drive him crazy with desire. As amazing as it was - he never thought sex could be _that_ amazing - right now, he wanted something else. "What I want to know is, is it my turn now?"

" _Sí_ ," Korlys said, after searching Mario's eyes to see if there was any reluctance there. But the other elf seemed eager - perhaps seeing how much _he_ had enjoyed it had removed Mario's doubts. "What position do you want to be in? On the bottom, like I was last night? Or on top, riding me?"

"Position?" Mario hesitated. "No idea," he admitted. "You choose what you think is best. Just… not from behind, okay?"

The assassin's gaze softened at that; he would never get used to being trusted so completely. It took his breath away for a moment. Korlys reached over for the massage oil sitting on the bedside table, then rolled over to sit beside Mario, leaning up against the wall for support. "Come, sit on my lap."

Curious to see what Korlys had in mind now, and more than a little nervous, he straddled Korlys' lap, leaning back on Korlys' chest.

Korlys wrapped his arms around Mario, chuckling softly. He kissed the side of Mario's neck gently. "Are you nervous, _caro_?"

"No," he lied; he didn't want Korlys to think that he didn't want this.

"Tsk." He turned Mario's head so that he could see the other elf's face. Korlys stroked Mario's cheek with one hand, then leaned down and kissed him tenderly. "Then why are you not facing me?" he murmured.

"Oh - I - okay." Mario's face was on fire. He turned to face his Antivan but kept his eyes down. That was so fucking dumb… he should've realised.

"That would be a good position, too. Maybe next time we will try it, yes?" Korlys poured some of the massage oil in one hand, then set the bottle back on the end table. He coated both hands with the oil and started rubbing Mario's lower back to soothe him. Korlys kissed him slowly and passionately as he continued the massage.

"Relax," the assassin murmured, once he ended the kiss. The further down his hands moved, the tenser the other elf seemed to be, in spite of the back rub. "Relax... just lean on me and let all of your muscles relax."

Mario rested his head on Korlys' shoulder, taking a few deep breaths. The delicious smell of coconut filled his lungs. Last night, Korlys had taught him what must be done so a man could enjoy this - and he saw how much his Antivan loved it. Still… it was awkward. And how could it _not_ hurt? He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the pain.

But none came. It was uncomfortable, but Korlys was gentle and slow. After a while, he got used to it. Not that he enjoyed it much, but it waaaaaas- White stars exploded in front of his eyes as Korlys touched some spot inside him.

"Fuuuuck!" he gasped when his brain started to work again. "What was that? Do it again!"

Korlys chuckled as he continued. "See? I told you it would feel good." He kissed Mario's shoulder. "And that is only the beginning," he whispered softly.

oOo

Mario glanced at the man lying by his side. They were both pleasantly exhausted and covered in sweat; Korlys had cleaned them both with a towel, but they hadn't bothered to bathe and get dressed yet. If he could, he would stay like this the whole day.

"By the way," he said, "I'm Mario _Gethin_. Pleased to meet you."

Korlys grinned. "Oh, is that your name? Good to know who I am sleeping with," he joked. "Mine is Korlys Ghilani." The ease with which it rolled off his tongue surprised him, given that he hadn't called himself by that name since he was a little boy. _And now Mario is the only living person who knows it_ , he suddenly realised.

He sensed Mario wanted to ask something else - probably why he'd used the same last name as Nico last night - but was hesitating. Perhaps he did not want to pry. Korlys waited patiently, knowing that if it was important to Mario, he'd speak up sooner or later.

"Korlys?" Mario asked sheepishly. "I wanted to ask… was it - I mean, was I - did you like it? Yesterday as well, I mean."

Korlys rolled over onto his side, propping his head up on one arm, and laying a hand on Mario's stomach. He chuckled. "As loud as I was, and you could not tell? I enjoyed every moment, _caro_."

"I think everyone in the inn could tell." Mario chuckled. "But I've never- and you, you are… never mind. I'm just rambling." He ran his hands through Korlys' hair, then pulled him in for a kiss. "I love you."

Korlys bit his lip, wishing it were easy for him like it was for Mario. He _wanted_ to say it... Felt he _should_ say it. Mario deserved to hear it. But, all his instincts fought against it, and he could not force those three little words out. He could only hope that his lover would know how he felt, somehow. Resting his forehead against Mario's, he closed his eyes and smiled. "It was not a performance, you know. This is... different from every other time. No one else compares to you."

oOo

"By the way, the next time someone unseen slips her hand down your pants, don't let her do whatever she wants."

Korlys had been about to suggest that it was time for them to leave and get back to the ship when Mario's statement stopped him short. His forehead wrinkled in confusion. "What are you talking about? The last time I had a woman's hand down my-." He stopped himself, realizing Mario might not want to hear about that. "Well, let us just say that it has been a long time. What woman do you mean?"

Mario giggled. "I wasn't the only thief who had the idea to rob the nobles," he admitted. "As it happens, your wallet was picked by a lovely lady."

"Oh? How lovely?" Korlys joked.

"Quite. Young, curvy, but not fat, soft skin…" Mario wiggled his eyebrows at Korlys before he added with a dramatic sigh. "Too bad she wasn't impressed by you at all. Dunno what you did, but she called you a _weirdo_."

"Weirdo? Just because I tilted my hips back a little to make sure she had unfettered access?"

"You put your ass up in the air for her?" Mario laughed. "I'm the only one who can have access to those parts!"

"Only slightly - and I thought it was you," Korlys hastened to explain. "In any case, I assure you, she _would_ have been impressed, if she had checked the _front_ of my pants," the Antivan said archly. "And just how do you know her skin was soft, anyway?" he added, brow raised.

"She put it under her skirt. I couldn't let her walk away with your wallet, could I?" Mario said innocently.

"So, you had your hand up a beautiful woman's skirt, did you?" He started to make another joke when it suddenly occurred to Korlys that he really did not know much about Mario's sexual experiences, other than that he was the first man Mario had been with willingly. He wasn't even sure about Mario's sexual preferences - not everyone was as flexible as a Crow, but it certainly wasn't unheard of. Or perhaps his natural inclination was heterosexual, and Korlys was just a one-off, so to speak. The thought intrigued more than troubled him. After all, he wasn't even sure what _his_ natural inclination would have been, having never been allowed to choose. "Did you enjoy it?"

Mario blinked, surprised. "Enjoy what? Stealing all her loot? You bet I did!"

Korlys chuckled softly. "No, _caro_ , what I am asking is, do you like women? I do not know much about your past - have you ever been with a woman before, or wanted to be?"

"No." Mario shrugged. "I was told more than once that I should get a girl, but I didn't really see the need. All I wanted was to become the best thief in the guild. Girls would be a distraction. What about you?"

" _Sí_ , women can be a distraction... but they can also be quite wonderful, really." He smiled wistfully as a brief scene from his past came to mind. _He is sprawled across a bed on a lazy Saturday afternoon. A woman is sitting in front of a vanity, using the mirror to comb out her hair, and watching him watch her with an amused look on her face. It is warm, but the windows in the room are open, letting in a breeze that flutters their thin white curtains and cools him as it dries the sweat from his body. The muted sounds of the city floating up from the street two stories below them, along with the soft droning of bees visiting the flowers outside her window sill, are making him sleepy._

"They are soft and curvy, their hair smells good, they do things that men do not, like put flowers in their apartment because they are pretty, they are warm and sweet, and they will still huddle next to you in bed for you to wrap your arms around them in a thunderstorm, or call you to take care of some insect for them, even though they are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves..."

"Okay, okay," Maro cut in. "I get it. They're awesome." Calling someone to take care of a problem you could deal with yourself was lazy and stupid, as far as he was concerned. And what was so great about cutting flowers? They'd just wilt in a day or two. They'd be of more use if left where they were. And he had no wish to be _soft_. Eeew.

"I prefer men. Firm. Strong," he said, tracing his finger along Korlys' abs. "Practical. Able to take care of things. Daring and dangerous…"

Korlys laughed. "Oh believe me, plenty women are daring - and they are _all_ dangerous. At least once a month."

At that point, he noticed the look on Mario's face - like he was patiently waiting for Korlys to figure something out... "Oh." A big grin spread onto the Antivan's face. "Do you have anything you might want me to take care of?" Korlys glanced down and discovered that he did, in fact. Not bothering to wait for a reply, he proceeded to attend to it.

* * *

A/N:

Thanks again to our wonderful betas, Bloodsong 13T and Oleander's One! And also thanks to the awesome readers who take the time to review... especially to Sheba's dog, Sadie. We know how busy she usually is barking at people who pass by the house. xD

There _may_ be a new one-shot coming out "soon". I won't define soon. ;)

Mario: But no mabaris.


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